Various systems have been developed and implemented for tracking such diverse items as parcels, credit cards, personal belongings, library materials, livestock, automobiles, and even people. For example, many toll roads employ a toll-collection system in which a wireless device is installed in an automobile. The wireless device stores either a remaining balance of pre-paid toll money in an account of the owner of the automobile or simply the account number of the automobile owner's pre-paid toll account. Whenever the automobile is driven past an automated toll-collection booth on a toll-road employing such a system, this toll-collection system automatically deducts the amount of toll charged at that automated toll-collection booth either from the remaining balance stored in the wireless device in the automobile or from a remotely stored ledger-balance maintained for the account identified by the account number stored in the wireless device. In either case, the account associated with the automobile is automatically updated as the automobile passes the toll-collection booth. Thus, this system simply maintains a current balance for the pre-paid toll account of each automobile owner having a wireless device for the system. The system does not maintain a record of the location of each toll collection for the automobile and thus does not permit automobiles to be tracked.
Another example of a prior system for tracking items (in particular, parcels) is the parcel-tracking system of Federal Express®. Each parcel delivered by Federal Express® is labeled with a parcel number. Federal Express® maintains a database of the parcel numbers for parcels shipped by Federal Express®, together with status and/or delivery information relating to that parcel. When a parcel is deposited with Federal Express®, an entry is added to the Federal Express® tracking database containing at least the parcel number of that parcel and an indication that the parcel has not yet been delivered. When the parcel is eventually delivered, the entry for that parcel in the Federal Express® tracking database is updated to include information about the delivery (e.g., the fact that the parcel was delivered, the time and date of delivery, the individual who signed for the parcel, etc.). In addition, at various points during the transportation of the parcel to the delivery location, information may be added to the Federal Express® tracking database regarding the delivery status of the parcel. However, Federal Express® agents manually enter this information into the Federal Express® tracking database solely on the basis of a unique Federal Express® tracking number printed on a Federal Express® Airbill used to provide addressing information to Federal Express®. Consequently, this system is useful only for tracking parcels of a single entity, namely Federal Express®. Further, even for Federal Express® parcels, the tracking capabilities of this system are quite limited. For example, the Federal Express® system does not track movement of a Federal Express® parcel either before the parcel is deposited with Federal Express® or after the parcel is delivered to its final destination.
In addition to the deficiencies in tracking capabilities exemplified by the above-described “tracking” systems, each of the various known systems for “tracking” a discrete class of items (e.g., automobiles, parcels, etc.) requires its own infrastructure, often including proprietary components and labor forces that are not, and generally cannot be, shared by other systems. As a result, each system requires a substantial investment in development time, and costs for infrastructure installation, operation, maintenance, and upgrades.